The basic theory of this
ancient Chinese medicine rests on the idea that the body is really a
network of energy pathways called meridians. Illness are seen as blockages
of the meridians, which can be relived by inserting stainless steel
needles into specific points on the body.

A technique which strives to
improve your overall mental and physical wellbeing by teaching you to use
your body more efficiently, with greater balance, poise and movement, in
daily life. This is a self administered technique which will take time to
master. It's thus a long term maintenance rarther than a injury cure.

This is a catch-all term for a
range of treatments which use essential plant oils to improve general
health and prevent disease. They can be administered by inhalation,
massage or baths. Aromatherapy could serve as part of an overall body
maintenance programme to relieve general aches and pains, or to treat
particular problems like colds, cramps or cuts.

This deals with the structural
relationship between the nerve tissues and the spinal column.
Chiropractors, who have to go through six years of training before
becoming registered, use gentle manipulation to treat problems as varied
as headaches and leg pain. Although the treatment has a strong long-term
passive benefit in preventing injury, it is also highly effective in
treating actual problems.

Lie back in a shallow bath of
warm saline water. Deprive yourself of all external sound and noise. The
feeling is akin to floating in space, and it fosters a natural feeling of
relaxation without effort and clears your mind. It works on both a mental
and physical level. It's ideal as a recovery from a race, or simply to
relive some of the strain of an exacting training programme.

The guiding principle of
homeopathy is that like cures like. Its practitioners treat a problem by
administering small amounts of vegetable or mineral substances which, in
larger quantities, would actually cause symptoms similar to the problem.
It's a curious but effective notion. It is most effective in treating the
general muscular aches, pains and strains which surface in any regular
training programme. Treatments are administered by tablets, pills, salts,
potions and liquids. They can be relatively expensive, costing from
£40-£80.

An increasingly topical
treatment for sportspeople, especially in individual sports. It relies on
activating the subconcious. By removing external distractions, relaxing
and concentrating your mind, hypnotherapy helps you to focus on your
specific problem or goal. A useful therapy for athletes who are struggling
with mental barriers, lacking motivation or simply unable to relax fully
before a big competition.

The treatment works on a
principle that certain muscle groups are related to specific parts of the
body. Muscle tests, using light touch and deep massage, are used to detect
and rectify energy blockages or imbalances, and this is supplemented by
complete dietary advice.

Massage is now so pervasive in
athletics circles that it's hard to think of it as 'alternative'. It's a
hands-on treatment which looks to maintain and improve the balance of the
body's systems. It has direct relevance to athletes immediately after a
hard training session or competition, when it's useful as a restorative,
to bring life back to tired muscles and help clean out lactic acid. It can
also deal with particular problems in the musculo-skeletal system, or
simply act as a general relaxant and stress reduction device.

This is based on four
principles: the individuality of the patient; treating the cause of an
injury rarther than just the symptoms; looking at the body as a whole
rather than just at an injured area; and giving the body the chance to
heal itself. Practitioners use a combination of osteopathy, diet and
hydrotherapy. Naturopathy can treat particular illnesses or injuries, or
generally help the body to gain its natural balance.

The
first complementary medical treatment to enter the main stream. It's extremely
popular with a range of elite and non-elite athletes, both as a long-term
body maintenance programme and to treat actual problems. It's a system of
healing which works on the physical structure of the body. Osteopaths use
joint and muscle manipulation, massage and stretching techniques.

A
form of ancient Chinese medicine which works on the theory that every part
of the body has a reflex point within the foot. By working with pressure
on these points, blockages in the energy pathways can be released, which
encourages healing.

A
Japanese therapy which operates on the same principles as acupuncture,
working the body's pressure points and energy meridians. Rather than using
needles, practitioners use their fingers, thumbs and occasionally elbows,
knees, hands and feet to massage the meridians and release and balance the
body's energy flow.

Derived
from the Hindu system of philosophy which aims to achieve the mystical
union of the self with the Supreme Being in a state of complete awareness
and tranquility. Yoga exercises and postures are designed to achieve the
physical and mental well-being which leads to this stage, and thus
represent more of a lifestyle choice than a treatment for any specific
injury or condition.